This invention relates to a corrugated paperboard, die-cut packing pad adapted to be inserted in a shipping carton between the sidewalls of the carton and a device shipped in the carton to protect the device during shipment.
It is common practice to protect a device shipped in a carton against damage by precluding movement of the device in the shipping carton and contact with the sidewalls of the carton. This is usually accomplished by placing packaging material such as straw, polystyrene, paper or corrugated board between the shipped device and the interior sidewalls of the carton to cushion shocks imparted to the carton during handling and to preclude movement of the device relative to the carton sidewalls. The necessity of providing and inserting such packing material in multiple units increases the cost of handling the device as well as the cost of material and warehouse inventory of packing material.
This invention relates to a one-piece, die-cut packing pad which can be folded in a simple operation and inserted between the sidewalls of a carton and a device shipped in the carton to provide protection to all sides of the device during shipment. The pad has a central, substantially solid front panel inserted between the transported device and a sidewall of the carton and a plurality of relatively pivotable, upright, hinged posts attached to opposite side edges of the front panel which when folded relative to each other in accordian style contact the sidewalls of the carton and serve to clamp the device between the opposite sidewalls of the carton. A top panel is hinged to spaced portions of the top of the front panel and foldable 90.degree. relative thereto to overlie the device during shipment. The front panel can also include wherever necessary, cut-outs or openings to accommodate protrusions on the shipped device, such as door handles, valves, hose connections, etc.